Literature Analysis #2

L.A. Candy

Lauren Conrad

 

1.    Jane Roberts is a young girl that moved to LA with her friend Scarlett. Madison worked for a magazine and Scarlett goes to USC. While the two girls are out at a club the producer of a new TV show called LA Candy spots the two girls and tells them they are perfect for the show, which follows young girls around LA and shoes their exciting lives. After going to the interview the girls get the job and get to meet the two other girls on the show. One is a young rich girl that is nasty to everyone she meets. The other girl pretends to be dumb so boys and other people will like her. The show starts off by portraying the girls as nice and innocent but as time goes on and Madison because an instant favorite of all the viewers Madison gets jealous of Jane's amount of air time. She came up with a plan to show people the "real Jane." The plan that she comes up with includes setting Jane up with a boy she likes that tries to take advantage of her and Madison had a photographer hiding in a tree taking pictures if the two. When a trashy magazine gets a hold of the pictures and writes a fake article about Jane her image is ruined. Her boyfriend breaks up with her and the producers if the show is upset with her because she is not keeping her image up for the show. Jane soon realizes that the show is creating more drama in her life and these girls that she thought were her friends are not anything close to a friend. She leaves LA to go to her hometown and spend time with her family that she has been neglecting since the show started. In the end she proves to everyone that she is not the person the magazine said she is and she quits the show to do other things with her career.

2.    The theme of the novel was friendship and loyalty. Jane thought she knew who her real friends were but she quickly learned that when everyone is trying to make it in Hollywood people will do anything they can to make their 15 minutes last as long as they can.

3.    The authors tone is serious but not too serious she is showing everyone how horrible life can be in the limelight but at the same time she is trying to make a point to all the “famous” people that all this fame does lead to bad things and she knows how they all tell lies and fake who they are just to make it on TV. “Ohmigod that’s Anna Payne, Jane whispered. She is so gorgeous!  Anna stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and posed for the cameras.” “She saw two paparazzi staked out near the elevators.” “She collapsed onto the bed, slid under the covers, and began sobbing quietly into her pillows.”

4.    Back story “Mom was a shrink gag and Dad was a cosmetic surgeon double gag.” Page 8

Cliff hanger- “In Mexico for a few days…see you when I get back XOXO Jane” page 324

Stream of Conciseness- “The clothes here look almost as cheap as the help” page 20

Alliteration- “PMS-plauged, psycho bitches from hell.” Page 8

Allegory- “You’re not a total bitch.” Page 7

Pathos- “Jane clamped a hand over her mouth and shook her head. She felt numb.” Page 316

Exaggeration- “I feel like jumping off a bridge!” page 315

Word Play- “Ohmigod.” Page 98

Satire- “Yay boys with snake tattoos and excessive amounts of old spice.” Page 156

Imagery- “Scarlett caught a glimpse of her reflection in the garage-sale mirror Jane had propped next to the fridge to “make the room look bigger” althoughwho wanted to make a urine-colored room look bigger?” Page 8

Hyperbole- “Jane Hollywood’s newest IT girl.” Page 287

 

Characterization

 

1.    Direct characterization

Since Jane is part narrator of the story she is described by an ominous voice, this is used to describe not only Jane but Scarlett as well. Both girls are introduced to the story before we begin meeting the less important characters.

Indirect characterization

Jane is introduced to Madison and Gaby by Trevor Lord the producer of LA Candy. Once she begins talking to them she finds out who they are. She also is introduced to Jesse her boyfriend through conversation with Madison.

2.    The author’s syntax and diction change when she is focusing on a character she goes from conversation to talking directly to the reader. She also uses higher level vocabulary words because it is not the girls talking.

3.    The protagonist is dynamic she has changing feelings throughout the story and the reader can tell who she cares about and how much she cares about them in the way she protects people and talks to people.

4.    I felt that I met a real person. Jane was introduced as a girl that reminds me of me. We are both sweet innocent girls that think the best in people and always try to please people. I got the feeling that I had met Jane by the way she was described to the reader and because we got to know her true feelings and thoughts on everything that happened to her.